Woodworking mechanism



Feb. 27, 1923.

G. LITTLEFORD. wooDw'oR'KlNG MECHANISM.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. L'ITTLEFORD.

wooDwoRKlNG MECHANISM.

Feb. 27, 1923.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 34 FILED AUG. 18| 1921.

Aio

Patented Feb? 211923.

GEORGE LI'iT-riEFonD/er reise1 theories, KENTUCKY-'j Weens/onreine Meenemen.

epplieationeiee August is; 192i. serial Neasee.

d To all "LU/wm t may conce/m; e e

Be if. known that I? LrTrLEFoRn, e

citizen of the United States, residingee `Fort Thomas, 'in the count-v of Qamphellv V end State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful improvements inrNoedf Working' liechanisinv1 of which the following is a. speeication.L V l My invention re etes Woodv *working to improvements in stockl pieces Wherelij,T the orig-inal'hoards are' out lengthwise into nerrover stiivs 'vhich are sneeessivelv-` fed forwaril to e, ,inter or n'iatching` machine Where one is irs; fed over 'a cutter and siii .seed then the .strips'are successively tni rA so `as to present theopposite edge of the strips to he e. cutter to surface the oppositefedge ofthe strin7 thereby adapting theYV strips to he joined together ineglue press to providev 41ooerds of enTV desired ividth. .another` oh! ject is to provide inigr'ovedineansto edge and'tlien thev other edgejto the cutter. 'Another object is to provide anfn jointer having an aiitoinatierevers' edge visi @resentedv to the entier. frno [object is to provide improved iointer which the sto-cle is fed in one endfsi,1V face oneedge of the steek, andthe stoel: automatically reversed to e site edge' of the stock to the' eutterend `to feed the stock tothe! end of the iointer lwhich Vthe stock entered'. Another' object is to provide improved intermittently actuated' 40 feed mechanism to reverse the positionef the stool; so as to presenteits opposite redge to the cutter.v Another Objectis to provide' improved lineens to receive and feed thev reversed stock to the cutter. I Another object vcomi'irises oertainndetails of forni combina- .50 tion end arreng'enie'ntv.l all ofivhich ivillhe' fully set forthin the descriptienof the' ec-V oompanying 'di-amines.V invhieh: Y

Fig. Vl is aplan'of 'my iinji'irovedfmeche-y nism with portions ofthe housing ended-l justing meansl omitted.A Y

ineehanisin. One offits oh-V jeets is to-provide for. the automatic' han# dling -of a series of hosrds, stripofshor;` n

ron line of Fig. Il.

` versing rmeehanisin.` surfaced, andthen byafeed again fed over e.

rollers detached;

Y treedl andreverse strips so as to present 'first oneV "'-jivhieh'l ren'resents thjeffraine ofa ljoi'n'ter` Y n on which arel mounted;rotary Gutters jland- Wherehv fmst'one edge and then the opposi;

present the einer "14E" f ineens of vanyr*suitableiadjusting siifliciently in'contact'withtheface ofthe' v f ifdiehain soitha'vtthe-'SQO'Gl Willf'loe fed 4alongY Fig. 2'is e sectional, detail of onefof'the 7" return' feed dnviilg Sheff-'S "with a yielding Fig; 6 is a perspective' view offtlie reverse 70 feedinechanisrn from. the 'opposite `side. -F1g l7 is a. 'dia.rainniati'eV View15 of afgeer train. fora'portion of the stock feed ineeha-j nisrn. intermediate of" the cutter andgthe re Y x Fig. Sie a: plan 'effe' pair Qfstclr feedingl Fig. 9 vis a perspectivevi'ew of'on'eof the linksof therevjer'sestool'r feeding. chain. v I Fig. 10, isv a ydetail4 lperen'ectiv'e viefv 'of the. series of drurnvfeedin@ "fingers detach 'The"accompanyingdrawings illustrate' the i preferred enihodiinentfof rnv invention in l5 designed to vtime up d surface-the edges of t-hefstoclz soi that thef'stoclrmembers@ w mayheglnedtogether edgeto edge.' In forq f der to feed thef stock'to the "cutters" IQj-preff' erelav empl-'ov 'anfendless feed belt o'i ehain. Y 15,6V inountedjnpon sprocket Wheels "17 and 1.8;

The 4Wheels vk17 en Vd" i8 are inountedlfnponfverf *tical shafts vi9 and 20one offivhich is'fp'referahly driven frein 'the salme Vceuntereshaft as the cutters 15' and 15" at e` relatively slovfer speed. The shafts'lQ and lQOgajnd feed-chain may be independently driven if desired. ,'"k

Inorde'r to holdghe stock in conteotwith y the vfeed-cha.in,v platens 2i and 22 arel pro- 110()v vided on Vopposite sides lof the feedvrchain lto forni' channels 23 and Qi'hetw'eenthefplatens Vand fee'd'ehain. for the passage of the stock.

The pl'etens S21 and-"22" aref preferably adju-stably mounted iip'on Y, Qguides 25 `on. i',he?.freinerv means'. not shown, whereby the ividth 'of `the v thickness y of the' l"steek and to Ah old :thel stock 14 from the saw table 26 is a vertical shaft 27 Ydriven from a horizontal shaft 28 byv means or" nuter ,gears 29l and 30. The shaltY ln advance oli the jointer traine i4 l prelierably provide a saw table 26, substantially such as shown in Letters Patent of the United States llo. l,2`29987 granted me d une l2, 1917, and Which is so arranged as to au tomatically feed strips of stock of substan` tially uniform Width and Ythickness into position to be enga-ged by the 'feed-chain 1G and Yfed forward thereby.

At the opposite end of the jointer rraine shafts 36 carried by the pivotally mounted levers 37 Which are actuated by sprii s 88 to cause the rollers to vieldingrly engage the'stock members to hold the stock meinbers inV engagement with the face 'of the Y positively driven feed rollers fto feed the stock members avvayV from the feed-chain and to `the. reversing; mechanism.

The reversing` mechanism comprises 'a receiving channel 40 into which the stoor n'iembers are successively ted after having' one edge surfaced7 a channel 4l to receive the reversed stock members successively, a feedinp; drum 42r to transfer the stock Asuccessively from the receiving channel 40 to the channel 4l with their opposite up'anda feed-chain 68 to feed the stool;v

members successively outot the channel 4l toward the jointer to have the opposite edge -oi' Athe stock members surfaced.

The reversingV drum 42 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 45 jou'rnaled to frame 44, Which traine may be Vindependent of or integral. with the frame 14. A sprocket Wheel 46 on the shaft 45 is driven by a sprocket `chain 47 from a sprocket wheel 48 which is loosely journaled upon the shaft 28. clutchv member 49 is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 28 Vin position to be engaged by clutch member 50 on the hub o'lh the sprocket vvheel 48. The hub 'of the sprocket yWheel 48 is also provided `With an annular groove 5l engaged by a roller 52 carried at theend of a'lever 53 pivoted at 54 to the frame 44,'to

Vshift the wheel '48 endvvise on the shaft 28 to engage and disengagethe clutch members 49 and 50. A springy normally holds the clutch members 49 and'50 in engagement.

.A linkv -56 connects the lever 58 tc-a crank y"'arm 57 carried by a vertical shaft58 which has ja cranlrarm'or linger 59 projecting into y. `the channel 40 to be engaged by the successive stock members as they enter the channel vwhich is d iven ind vgears 72 and 73 trom the shaft 28.

' blocks or 40 to rock the shaft 58 andthereby disengage the clutch members 49 and 50 and stopk the feed of the drum 42 until after the rear end ot the stock member has passed theV free end ot the` crank arm 59, whereupon/the clutch members 49 and 5() engage to ieed the drum 42 forward. The drum 42 is provided v or' slots longitudinally ther-fol srries of fingers Slpivotally connected at 62 to bars 62 and projecting through the slots s my,

60. Said irine'er'sv arek 'oreerablv each connested pivctally to c t1 g ha;l 637 so as to all more `upon the; s in unison.

A 'spring 54 serves to yielr series ot fingers 5l in the f shown vin l* `ig. 5 and to p to move upon their pivots Fig. 5 out of the path of any stocir its entering' the channel 40, should said lingers be in position to be by a stock membei'A at the time it enters thc channel 40.

lhe fingers 6l are also preferably composed or tivo sections jointed or hir l:jed at G5 so that the order ends may automaticallyy tip doWnv-.fardly as indicated at the lower lett hand portion of Fic 4, to gott-he outer ends of said lingers out of the vway ot and free f to pass lthe stock lmember when the stockV member lenters the channel 4l.

The tace et the drum 42 is provided with a pl rulity of annular channels .66 into wh enter i'lexible shoetimetal 'fingers 67 to receive the successive stock me: the drum 42 and to lguide the stoclrm into the c1 nel 41. channel 4l a .toed chain 68 supported upon the tivo sprocket Wheels 69 anl l ountedupon a shaft 7l .ct-ly by a pair oi"- miter l rp? CA Lilo rEhe wheel 70 is r"- sproclret chain hasr pivotally thereto a series of irren 'feeding fingers 74, which normally occupy aposition in the feeding channel 4l. With one corner projecting' upwardly toenthe end et tie stock member/to jteed @ne Ystock member elo 5;' and outA or the channel 4l. Vhen however astoclrniemberais discharged by the drum 42 into the channel 4l it alights upon a series ci the fingers 74 see 'GV and its Weight tips the projectingends otsaid lingers downwardly so that the stoel; member rests upon the-horizontal youter -faces ci scri-es ot said lingers, and the nezt linger with its Vg'yroyectingv `end enthe end of 'the stock member to feed the stock member! torwa'rdrout of the channel 41.

As the respective stock members pass out fot the channel 4lthey enter between the inthe bottom ci the llO positively driven feed rollers 75- driven .by

the train of gears 76 and 77 romthegear lyand the yieldingly niountedprollers 78 looselyrmounted uponthe arms 79Which are pivot/ed at S tothe fraise 44 and yieldf ingiy4 actuated byV springs S2 to hold thev driven :feed rollers 75 to feed the stockfrom( the channel 41 and into engagement with* the feed chain 16, which serves to feed the `Vstock vmembers successively along the channel 24 and over the Vcutter 15 to surface 'the opposite edge of tne succcssivestock mein- Vbers. n Y The gear 31 and gears 32, 34, 76, and 77 are preferably inclosedinahousing 84. In

order to avoid liability ofinjury to the stock Aorto the mechanism iii the event of one or more of the stock meiiibeis not properly entering the" feed channel *41, oiotlier siiuilar cause', l i eferably provide a yielding 'friction .clutch "interposed betiveen 'the' posi-v tively driven shaftfS- driveii'by the'i'niter gears 72" and 73 from shaft 28, and the sprocket wheel Sniounted loosely upon said 'shaft/857 and'coinprising a frictional disk or clutch member 87 carried by the sprocket Wheel '86 a similar vfiirtional disk 90 carried by aA hub 8S splined rto the shaft 86. and spring 89' and vcollar 89 -to yi'eldinglyY fho'ld said frictionaldisksin drivingengage--V ment. In' theevent: ofV any unusualv strain upon 'the feedV mechanism the clutch meinbers '87, and 90fivill' yield and .slip and the Y "feed of the chain 68fvvill stop untiltlie ob- V struction is'reiiiovee.l y

the Wheel S6 drives Vthe sprocket Wheel 92 andv Wheel 70 both inounted'upoii the shaft 71 which Ais ,journaled to the frame V44. .I5 'also preferably interposefyielc'liiig driving means 'suchl asshoivn in lilig. 2 between the Wheel/46 and drum 42. i K

ln operation Vthe stock members are fed .either automatically or by'hand v'endvvise and on edge into the channel. '23**through'` Y which they are carried bythe-.feed chain 16 and delivered to thefeed Vrollers 33 and 35. Tlierollers 33 arespeededlo feed faster than `the chaiii'l, vand as soon a-`stock ineniber'is released by the vchain 16 the rollers rand carry it quickly vawa-y andV deliver it into thev channel 40;Y l Each stock Vmember asili engages VVthe crank arm 59 releases `the clutch members 49 and 50 to stop the feed ofthe drum 42=uiitil the rear end of the stock memberliasfpassed the afriii 59 Wliereuponthedrum 42 Vfeeds forward caus-4 v .ing-the Vstockl memberto be picked up from tlieV channeli407`V upon one set of tlie' lingers 61 a'nvdcarried -ivitli'ftlie drum until the stock member passes Yover the center'of the Ydrum 'at the {top and slides (lovin :the opposite side into engagen'ient with the feed .rollers 75 and Afch'ain 91 driven-by 78 which in turn feed the stock member into engagenieiit with the face .of the feed chain 16 to feed the stock through the feed channel 24 from which the stock `iiiembers make their lexit successively -Witli bothv edges surfaced jecting into the feed channel .40, the ad? Vance ofi-a stock member-into said channel WillA push theiingers 61, turning upon their centers 62, out of the path ofthe stock inember so that when the. drum commenced its forward feed the next set of lingers Would serve to pick up the stockmembei'. 'On thek discharge side ofthe drum 42 the projecting portion of the'fingers autoiriaticallydropv lout of yposition to beengaged a'stock member rresting'iii the channel 41. de- Vsired the stock members may have. their edges tongue-and-grooved. v w

Y The mechanism herein illustrated and described is` capable offconsiderable .modification Withouttdeparting fromfthe princiv pleof my invention. v i

` 1. ifiV machine comprising a: feeding table provided with forward and vreverse stock feeding channels'and one or" more :rotary ward directionV in' one:` feeding channel and lin the reverse direction in the opposite feed-` ing channel, Yan`inte-rinittently. driven druin" provided ivith fingers to successively pickf up the Ystock membersffroin ione feed t ch an-V nelA` and to .depositi the stock members. fre-v iovo versed" injrpositioniii vthe 'oppositev-"fe'ed f channel, aJ-'clutch Ito `interinittently connect said drumlin driving relation,a.nd a 'clutchr` actuating 'member in position to be engaged bythe successive stock members to'acti'ia-te reacliedia predetermined position with ref- -erencetosaidA drum;

" 2. A@surfacing"iiiachirie coinprisiiigf aV feeding table providedv with; forward Yand.

reverseAsto'ckffeeding channels and one or more. rotary Acutters to surface l'thel stock,l

v means to feed the stoekinembers successively in the` forw channel'and i Y, v Y opposite feeding channel, I an 'intermittently di direction in one feeding fthe .l reverse d irectionin the -said clutchand stop tliefeed ofsaidfdruin until the respective stock "members have A li'nembers reversed .in position in the' oppo'- A* site feedV channel'. a lclutch yto Y'interrnittentfly Uconnect said'drum in' driving relation. of the drum uponl the fingers 67 'and'is' clutch actuating'memberfin,positiontof be t Y engaged .-b'y the successivestock members to actuate said clutchand stop the' feed ofsaidi ldrumuntil the respective stock members. 'have Areached a predetermined position vvithreferenceto .said drum, said fingers being pivotally and yieldingly mounted upon and relatively to said drum to adapt said lingers to move out ofthe path of the stock members when engaged sidevvise by said stock members.

il surfacing machine comprising a feeding table provided with forward and re-V verse stock feeding channels and encor more members ai one of f feeding table provided-With forward andreverse stock feet ing channels and one or more rotary cutters to sur"ace the stock, means to feed the stock members successively in the forward direction one feeding channelY and in the reverse direction in the opposite feeding channel, a yieldingly pro pelled reverse stock feeding means in said reverse feed channel-to receive the stoclr members and to. initiate the reverse feed thereof, and a feeding member provided `ivith pivotally and yieldingly mounted viin-Y geis to reversek the position ofthe stock members and to feed-the stock members from one of said feeding channels to ,the

other; Y I

5. ri surfacing machine comprising a feedfing table providediivitli forward and reverse' stoclrfeeding channelsand:cne'orV more cutters to surface the stoclnnieans tofeed ther stock Vmembers successively in forvvard direction in one feeding channel, and in the freverse' direction in the opposite feeding channel and .ani intermittently actuated feedinglmember provided with yieldingly 'mounted fingers to reversetlie position ofv said stock members and tofeed the stoclrVV of saidl feeding channels' members from one to the other. y y Y v6. fr siii-.facing` machine comprising a feeding table provided with forward and reverse stoort f .cdiiig channels and one Yor more cutters vto surface the stoclr7 an Vinter` mittently actuated feeding member provi ded with Vyieldingly mounted fingers to reverse the position of` said stoclr members and to feed the steelt-members from one ofsaid feeding channels to the other?. and means actuated bythe movement of stock members in said Vforward stock feeding channell 'to control the intermittent movement of said intermittently actuated feeding 'member 7. A jointer comprising a feed table pro- '.vided with means` to automatically feed .driv

signature.

Maasai stock members kalong Yseparate feed channels in forward direction and in reverse direction, mea s to surface one face of said stock" members at theiforivard feedfthereof and Y to surface the opposite face thereof at the reverse Afeed of the stock members a travcling feeding member provided with yieldingly mounted Jiigers to vreverse tlie'position of the stock members and to vfeed the stock members from one of said feeding channels to the other and a feeding chain provided -with normally in position to engage the ence of the stock sections to feed the stool; sections forward.) and which fingers are adopted to be shifted into inoperative position by the Weight of the stool; sections resting thereon. e

8. jointer comprising a feed table pro-k vided Ywith stocir members along separate feed channels yin forward direction and in reverse direction, means tc surface one face of said stock members at the forward feed thereof-and to surthe opposite face thereof at the reverse oi" the stock members, an intermittently ling; member provided with ingersto vl t the stock members successively from the forward feed channel and to reverse the position of the stock members and deposit the stoclr members successively in the reverse feed channel, and a feed chain in said reverse feed channel to receive the means to automatically feed stoclr members from said Vfeeding member and to initiate vthe reverse feed ofsaid reversed stock members.l f i Y9. ing' table provided with forward' rand 'ref verse stoel; lfer-iding channels 'andY one f or more rotary cutters tofsurface'tlie stock, a series of stationarily mounted andpositively7 -n off-taire feed rolls and a series or yieldingly mounted idlerV feed rolls Yto feed the stock sections aivay from said cutter in forward feed channel, an intermittently driven*feedingmemberprovided With lingers to successively pickup the stock members from said forward feed' channel and to deposit the stock members reversed siiccessively in the reverse feed surfacing` machinecomprising a feedchanneh' a clutch to intermittently connect said feeding' member in driving relation,

and aclutch actuating member 'in position to be engaged by the successive stock mem- Y'bers in their passage awayV from the cutter in said forwarr feed channel-to actuate said clutch and stop `the feedV of said feeding memberV untilthe respective stock members have each reached a predetermined,position with reference to said feeding member.`

1 In testimony vwhereofil have-aflixed my snoepen Lirrrinron'n. 

